The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1887-02-19

Fort Totten, DEVILS Lake Agency
Dakota, says: The Indians of tn,
Sioux or Dakotah nation are sup
posed to number about 25,OOO
They are scattered over an immens,
territory, extending from the Mis-
sissippi river on the east to tn,
Black Hills on the west, and from
the mouth Of the Big Sioux rive
on the south to Devils lake (Hud
son bay territory on the north.
During my acquaintance with the
Dakotahs | have learned something
about their dances and the signific
ance they bear. The study has beer
an interesting one to me, and have
here set down few memoranda O
two Of the more important. They
are really weighty ceremonies in
tribal life.
The waukan wacipi (sacred OF
medicine dance) is in fact the re-
igion of the Dakotahs. After Sc
lecting a suitable spot on smooth
prairie, notched sticks about three
feet long are driven a little way in.
to the ground at intervals of about
ten feet, forming an elliptical in.
closure. Upon these they lay sap
lings or rails, over which canvas
tents are thrown. At each end OF
the inclosure a tent is pitched
One is occupied by the chief mcdi-
cine men or high priests, who are
always chiefs of the tribe, and
the other by the soldiers y
The meetings of the council are
held in the medicine tent, and
there the pazuhita waukan is kept
The soldiers duty is to preserve
order, wait upon the dancers, pre-
vent outsiders from intruding or
even leaning upon the barricade,
procure needed articles, etc. When
needing tents they are allowed to
throw down any tent and take it.
Should an owner grumble, the tent
taken is either burned or otherwise
rendered unfit for future use.
Those who wish to see the dance
may do so by standing and looking
over the barricade, but they must
not touch it. Should any one lean
upon the barricade who is not a
member of the dance he is struck
one blow mo more) by a soldier
with his stick-not of sufficient
force to injure one, but gentle re-
minder. BE he a chief or white
man, it is all the same, and woe is
his if he resent the blow. Imme-
diately in front of the soldiers tent
large fire is built, where during
the dance buffalo and OK meat and
wild turkey are cooked. Should a
dog come into the ring during the
ceremonies the poor brute is i'm
mediately killed, the body painted
yellow and allowed to remain in
that state to appease the Deity.
The medicine chiefs having taken
their places and the soldiers theirs,
the members come in by families,
and, standing in a line facing the
chiefs, in unison throw up their
hands and cry, Brother, have
mercy on me !" Then they relate
when and where they were initiated
into the mysteries Of the holy or
der" Zach dance, it should be
understood, is the ceremony OF
some religious or other order.
They then intone a sort Of chant
TO the high priest, at the same time
holding their medicine bags in their
left hands with arms stretched
across their breasts; the right
hand is meanwhile raised as when
an oath is taken. In this the mem
bers of each family follow the mo-
ton of its head, then in single file
they trot around the circle crying,
"Have mercy on me, friend and
BROTHER" until they reach the start
ing place, when they intonc anOth'
er chant. this time to the Great
Spirit (Waukantanka), and with
their medicine bags point to the
four points of the compass. They
then seat themselves on the ground
against the barricade, facing the
circle. A chief who has been ap.
pointed to the Office Of high priest
now takes his seat inside the medi-
cine tent, where he breaches and
sings, after appointing four assist
ants from among the members. To
one is given a small drum, to the
second a pillow and stick, to the
third gourd and rattle; the fourth
assists in singing. These all sit
around the high priest. They
have also large drum (usually q
cowhide stretched over cheese box
or a wash tub), on which seven ol
eight drummers constantly drum
singing the while without ccssa
ton. The priest now exhorts M
hearers to good deeds. and speaks
of the holy dance as an institution
founded centuries ago. When ht
is done all the members rise anc
dance by. alternately raising tht
feet with Gdewisc motion OF tn
body, at intervals crying, as at tn